Weekend night games coming to Wrigley?

[UMFan83]

Will anything stay sacred?

 

Were the Cubs suffering from a post-Milwaukee hangover on Friday in a 3-0 loss to Pittsburgh, or would things have been any different if they were able to play a night game at Wrigley Field?

 

That question can't be answered, but the Cubs are hoping to do something in the future regarding the city ban on playing home night games on weekends.

 

As the team prepares for next Friday's 20th anniversary of the first night game at Wrigley Field, the Cubs plan on asking for a change in the city ordinance prohibiting Friday and Saturday night home games, according to club sources.

 

http://chicagosports.chicagotribune.com/sports/baseball/cubs/cs-080801-chicago-cubs-pittsburgh-pirates,1,1869582.story

[Garwilly]

The Cubs lost their 1:20 game because they got in late from the bus ride down from Milwaukee (1:05 gametime yesterday)? What time was the Pirates game today? 1:20 as well.

[Jon]

What exactly is the financial gain for the Cubs in doing this?

[JoshiQ]

What exactly is the financial gain for the Cubs in doing this?

 

 

Is it just to get better beer sales? And if so let's all pull together and drink more beer before 5 PM! I like my afternoon games!

[TysonCBulls423]

Weekend night games makes sense for the players. Cooler temperatures during summer days like today. I wouldn't mind.

[Sammy Sofa]

Finish demolishing Cabrini and build a new stadium, please.

 

The Wrigleyville property owners and local associations can go eff themselves.

[17 Seconds]

Good. The fewer day games, the better. We're at a disadvantage playing in the afternoon all week when we're at home. Night games are more fun anyways.

[SouthSideRyan]

The Cubs play day games all week when at home? What is it 1982?

 

I thought this stupid excuse making would go away with Dusty.

[Jon]

Home day games by the day of the week:

 

                 Mon.    Tues.    Wed.    Thurs.
April            1       1        1       2
May              1       0        0       2
June             0       0        0       2 
July             0       0        0       1
August           0       1        1       1
September        1       0        0       1

 

Two of the Monday day games are due to holidays (Memorial Day and Labor Day). For June, July, and August combined, they play a grand total of two home games on Monday through Wednesday. There are four Thursday day games, all of which are getaway days for either the Cubs and/or their opponent. Of the three home day games from Monday to Thursday in August, two are back to back followed by a day off before continuing a homestand and the other follows a night game and precedes a day game.

 

That's 16 day games the entire season at home between Monday and Thursday. Hardly worth my time to format that chart, actually. The total is quite insignificant and I doubt is much different than any other team in the majors for the summer months.

 

So that leaves the Friday and Saturday games, which they sellout anyways. Plus, if they were to play Friday or Saturday night home games, the Cubs would probably have to fork over more money for traffic control. I don't think there's anything to suggest that playing Friday and Saturday afternoon games at Wrigley is any kind of disadvantage, either.

[Old Style]

Finish demolishing Cabrini and build a new stadium, please.

 

The Wrigleyville property owners and local associations can go eff themselves.

Are you out of your [expletive] mind?

[Derwood]

Finish demolishing Cabrini and build a new stadium, please.

 

The Wrigleyville property owners and local associations can go eff themselves.

Are you out of your ---SOAPDROPPING--- mind?

 

the time will come eventually when the stadium is not structurally viable anymore. At that point, the team has to decided between more or less gutting the current stadium and rebuilding or starting from scratch at a different location. If the Wrigleyville neighborhood people start up about construction noise, etc., that's when you tell them "have fun with your plummeting property value, cuz we're outta here."

[Fro]

I think the only benefit is more potential TV $$ for a primetime game than a day game.

[Mizzou]

What's been the rationale for not allowing weekend night games? Is it just the people that live in Wrigleyville don't want all that commotion at night, or is there something that actually makes sense?

[Derwood]

What's been the rationale for not allowing weekend night games? Is it just the people that live in Wrigleyville don't want all that commotion at night, or is there something that actually makes sense?

 

a)

[Sammy Sofa]

Finish demolishing Cabrini and build a new stadium, please.

 

The Wrigleyville property owners and local associations can go eff themselves.

Are you out of your ---SOAPDROPPING--- mind?

 

Not at all. Wrigley is falling apart and is way too small for the crowds the Cubs draw in. It is continually hampered by the neighborhood around it whenever they want to make any kind of significant changes or expansions. Not being able to play more night games is asinine. Not having parking is beyond ridiculous at this point. The neighborhood around Cabrini has really flipped around in recent years and is pretty cool now, plus there'd be a ton of room out there for a new, bigger stadium plus parking. On top of that, if the stadium is positioned correctly, you'd have the Chicago skyline behind the outfield.

 

Wrigley wouldn't go anywhere. Hell, figure something out where the Cubs still pla a few games there each year, but I'm all for a new stadium and have been for a while.

Edited August 2, 2008 by Sammy Sofa

[GhostRunner]

I'd like to see at least one World Series winner in Wrigley ... then I'll feel more accepting of building a more modern replacement.

 

The place is a physical paean to the sport of baseball, a cathedral, and it deserves to see a winner before it goes.

[SouthSideRyan]

What's been the rationale for not allowing weekend night games? Is it just the people that live in Wrigleyville don't want all that commotion at night, or is there something that actually makes sense?

 

a)

 

Sort of. With their agreement they can only have so many night games a year. It only makes sense to put the few night games you can have during the week. It's a de facto agreement, cause the Cubs don't want to have a slew of Tuesday day games during the year like some people apparently believe happen.

[Soul]

Every time the Cubs go to add more night games people go "oh my God it's ruining the tradition of the Cubs!"

 

...and each time they're wrong.

[NCCubFan]

I'd like to see at least one World Series winner in Wrigley ... then I'll feel more accepting of building a more modern replacement.

In other words, you're OK with building a new ballpark next near. :D

[GhostRunner]

I'd like to see at least one World Series winner in Wrigley ... then I'll feel more accepting of building a more modern replacement.

In other words, you're OK with building a new ballpark next near. :D

I could prolly live with that, yeah. :wink:

[Edmonds15]

Good. The fewer day games, the better. We're at a disadvantage playing in the afternoon all week when we're at home. Night games are more fun anyways.

 

I disagree, this should be used as an advantage.

 

Teams fly in and have to play day baseball 2-3 times during the week. Normally they'd be night games.

[1480]

Most are missing the big issue: Why are there 5 night games in April and 3 in May? Take those eight games and put them in July and August where they belong. The ordinance can easily be changed and there are provisions in it for national broadcasts and playoffs.

 

The main issue about weekend night games is you get a large group of people together that have a beer or two at 6pm, walk to the ballpark for the 7:05 start, have 3-5 more 16 oz beers and then go to one of the numerous establishments that crowd the area. No one has work for the most part on a Saturday or Sunday so they may stay till closing time..... not a pretty picture.

[RedIvyCub]

Home day games by the day of the week:

 

                 Mon.    Tues.    Wed.    Thurs.
April            1       1        1       2
May              1       0        0       2
June             0       0        0       2 
July             0       0        0       1
August           0       1        1       1
September        1       0        0       1

 

Two of the Monday day games are due to holidays (Memorial Day and Labor Day). For June, July, and August combined, they play a grand total of two home games on Monday through Wednesday. There are four Thursday day games, all of which are getaway days for either the Cubs and/or their opponent. Of the three home day games from Monday to Thursday in August, two are back to back followed by a day off before continuing a homestand and the other follows a night game and precedes a day game.

 

That's 16 day games the entire season at home between Monday and Thursday. Hardly worth my time to format that chart, actually. The total is quite insignificant and I doubt is much different than any other team in the majors for the summer months.

 

So that leaves the Friday and Saturday games, which they sellout anyways. Plus, if they were to play Friday or Saturday night home games, the Cubs would probably have to fork over more money for traffic control. I don't think there's anything to suggest that playing Friday and Saturday afternoon games at Wrigley is any kind of disadvantage, either.

 

Nice work. And as an FYI the team which is closest to the Cubs in least number of night games is the San Francisco Giants. Last I saw a master schedule, they had 52 to 54 per season.

Edited August 4, 2008 by RedIvyCub

[RedIvyCub]

What's been the rationale for not allowing weekend night games? Is it just the people that live in Wrigleyville don't want all that commotion at night, or is there something that actually makes sense?

 

a)

 

Sort of. With their agreement they can only have so many night games a year. It only makes sense to put the few night games you can have during the week. It's a de facto agreement, cause the Cubs don't want to have a slew of Tuesday day games during the year like some people apparently believe happen.

 

They are allowed 30 night games per season not including Friday and Saturday evenings. The original agreement disallows Friday and Saturday games to be in the evening with the exception of postseason play. The Cubs usually build the schedule with approximately 28/29 night games to allow to two ESPN Sunday telecasts at home each season...usually one in the first half (which is usually solid) and one in the second half of the season (those Sundays listed as TBD). Once the post ASG appearance is determined (usually not more than two weeks prior to the game in question), the other Sunday TBD games become 1:20 starts. CSN and WGN determine who would carry the game were it to be a day game rather than an ESPN night game prior to the start of the season.

 

As a side note, teams are allowed to appear on ESPN Sunday Night Baseball 4 times per season and Fox Saturday Baseball 9 times per season.

[Soul]

Most are missing the big issue: Why are there 5 night games in April and 3 in May? Take those eight games and put them in July and August where they belong. The ordinance can easily be changed and there are provisions in it for national broadcasts and playoffs.

 

The main issue about weekend night games is you get a large group of people together that have a beer or two at 6pm, walk to the ballpark for the 7:05 start, have 3-5 more 16 oz beers and then go to one of the numerous establishments that crowd the area. No one has work for the most part on a Saturday or Sunday so they may stay till closing time..... not a pretty picture.

 

True. Lots of people do this for day games too though. It's generally not a pretty picture after the games anyway if you ask me :D

 

Then again, actually *having* tons of fans to come together with around your favorite baseball team is a great thing. Think about the scene after a typical Marlins game (*crickets*).

 

I don't think there's much advantage or disadvantage to playing day vs. night games, either for the Cubs or for our opponents. You're a professional baseball player -- you work your schedule so you are rested and can play 100%, or else you're not all that great a player. That's how I see it.